Fatih Genel, the governor of Balýkesir´s Havran district, is reaching out to the women of the small village of Çakmak, located in a mountainous region 25 kilometers from Havran, by making their housework quicker and helping them use the resulting free time to learn to read and write.
After visiting the village, which only has 100 homes, Genel said he was very saddened by the sight of the women washing their clothes by hand in the village fountain. Noting that the women wash their clothes at the village fountain whenever there is water, because of water problems in the village, Genel said: "Washing clothes is a daylong affair for these women. We made an agreement with the village women of Çakmak. I am going to set up a laundry room for them and they are going to learn to read and write."
Genel said the project is one step toward resolving some of the problems faced by Çakmak, one of the region´s socially and economically underdeveloped areas.
Genel explained that they will provide free detergent and a place for ironing. "The women will be able to wash their clothes and then iron them. Not only will we be freeing women from a heavy burden, but also giving them the opportunity to wash their clothes in a more hygienic environment." The laundry room will be part of a new building constructed over a 100-square-meter plot of land, of which 20 square meters will be used as a laundry room, while the rest will be devoted to social facilities. The building is expected to be opened in a few months.
Source: http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=166898
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Great news!
After all the jokes I have re-read this article, and I hope this is a success. Be great to hear a follow up story............. 